Automatic card feeding device

ABSTRACT

A card is fed along a card path from a stack of cards by two pairs of feed rollers which may be rotating at different peripheral speeds. At one point in the path a single feed roller advances the card out of contact with the first pair of feed rollers and into contact with the second pair, a leaf spring serving to press the card against the single feed roller and allowing slippage between the card and the single feed roller, whereby tearing or bunching of the card is avoided.

United States Patent lnventor Takami Suzuki Tokyo, Japan Appl. No.759,053 Filed Sept. 11, 1968 Patented Apr. 20, 1971 Assignee KabushikiKaisha Ricoh Tokyo, Japan Priority Sept. 20, 1967 Japan 42/80435AUTOMATIC CARD FEEDING DEVICE 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 271/41 Int. Cl B65h 3/06 Field ofSearch 271/10,4; 271/41 [5 6]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,214.164 10/1965 Eissfeldt2-71/41 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,028,263 Great Britain 271/4 PrimaryExaminer-Richard E. Aegerter AttorneyBurgess, Ryan & Hicks ABSTRACT: Acard is fed along a card path from a stack of cards by two pairs of feedrollers which may be rotating at different peripheral speeds. At onepoint in the path a single feed roller advances the card out of contactwith the first pair of feed rollers and into contact with the secondpair, a leaf spring serving to press the card against the single feedroller and allowing slippage between the card and the single feedroller, whereby tearing or bunching of the card is avoided.

Patented April 20, 1971 INVENTOR TAKAM/ SUZUK/ BY g T f 0v ATTORNEYSAUTOMATIC CARD FEEDING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to an automatic card feeding device for use with adata processing system.

Many card feeders for use with the data processing systems have beenproposed, but there exists a problem of the difference in thecard-transporting speeds between an automatic card feeder and a machinehaving a predetermined function or any other machine as needs demand.That is, when the card transportation speeds are different in newlyinterconnected equipment and/or when the card feeding timings aredifferent in such equipment, the card is easily susceptible to damage orbreakdown or the card feeding or transportation can not be effected.

In view of the above present invention has been made in order toeliminate such problems as those described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, cards whichare drawn from a stack one by one by means of a card-drawing roller areadvanced toward a forced card feed roller. Thereafter, each card isfurther advanced or transported toward a card friction roller againstwhich is lightly pressed a spring, such as a leaf spring. Thus, the cardis forced to pass through the nip between the friction feed roller andthe spring. When the card is forcibly pulled or compressed, the slipbetween the card and the friction feed roller occurs so that there is nopossibility that the card will be torn off or bent. Then, the card isfurther advanced toward an intermittent feed roller and thereaftertoward a readout device, the punching device, etc. of the dataprocessing system. As described above, since slip between the frictionfeed roller and the card being transported can occur, the card is notsubjected to a force which could injure or damage it even if thetransportation speed of the intermittent feed roller is faster than thatof the friction feed roller.

In order to effect the smooth feeding of the cards by the automaticcard-feeding device according to the present invention, the distancesbetween the card-drawing roller and detecting means for detectingwhether the card being transported has passed through the friction feedroller or not; between said detecting means and another means fordetecting the completion of the function or action of the card; andbetween feed roller and the intermittent feed roller must be madeshorter than the length of one card. On the other hand. the distancebetween the forced feed roller and the intermittent feed roller must bemade longer than the length of one card.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description when read in the light ofthe accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial side view of oneembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the electrical circuit of the essentialcontrol system of the device shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1designates a drawing roller for use in drawing a card from a stack ofcards 3 stored at a card storage 2. The cards are drawn one by one bythe frictional force of the roller. An auxiliary card-drawing roller dis rotated through an intermediate roller 5 in the same direction as theroller III. A transmission gear 6 is rotated by a pulley 7 which in turnis secured to a motor shaft not shown. Gears 8 and 9 are in mesh withthe transmission gear 6. A forced feed roller 10 for forcibly feedingthe card is directly connected with the gear an auxiliary roller llcooperates with roller '10. A friction feed roller 12 for feeding thecard is directly coupled to the gear 8. A spring 13 is attached belowthe card friction feed roller 12 and has a tendency to press against theroller 12 in a radial direction in order to impart a weak force tothecard 3a which has been transported to the intermediate portion of thedevice. Reference numeral 14 designates a microswitch for controlling aclutch l7 which is disposed coaxially of the card drawing roller 1 andis driven through a belt 15 and a pulley 16. The microswitch I4 isadapted to open and close so as to disconnect from and engage the pulley7 with the card-drawing roller 1. Reference numerals l8 and 18adesignate feed rollers, each of which is adapted to rotateintermittently (or continuously at a peripheral speed different from thefeed rollers nearer to the card storage). A pressure roller 19cooperates with a feed roller 18. A microswitch for detecting thecompletion of the function or action of the fed card is provided in thepath of said card. In the device shown in FIG. 1, the distances betweenthe card-drawing roller and the microswitch 14; between the microswitchl4 and the other microswitch 20; and between the friction feed roller 12and the feed roller 18 are all shorter than the length of the card. Onthe other hand, the distance between the forced feed roller 10 forforcibly feeding the card and the feed roller 18 is longer than thelength of the card.

Next the mode of movement of the card will be described in more detailhereinafter with reference to FIG. '2. Both of the microswitches I4 and20 are interconnected in series with the clutch l7 and this circuit isclosed when no card is present in the device. Therefore, in that case.the clutch 17 is energized so that the card drawing roller 1 is causedto rotate, whereby the card is withdrawn and fed into the nip betweenthe normally rotating roller 10 and auxiliary roller 11, thereby beingforcibly transported. When the card reaches the microswitch 14, themicroswitch 14 is opened so that the energization of the clutch 17 isstopped, whereby the carddrawing roller 1 is disconnected from pulley16. The card is withdrawn from the card storage 2 by means of the forcedfeed roller 10 and the auxiliary roller 1] and is transported forwardly.Because of the distance relations as described above, when the trailingedge of the card has passed through the rollers l0 and 11, the leadingedge of the card has not yet arrived at the rollers 18 and 19. After thetrailing edge of the card has passed through the rollers 10 and 11, theonly force -exerting upon the card so as to advance the card is a weakfrictional force whose strength is determined by the contact pressurebetween the friction feed roller 12 and the spring 13, so that even aslight force applied to the card stops the movement of the card.

Since the feed roller 18 is intermittently rotated by a driving systemnot shown, the card tends to advance thereto by the force exertedthereon from the feed roller 18. Therefore, the card 30 which has beentransported to the middle portion of the transportation path may advanceat a speed which is different from the feeding speed of the frictionfeed roller. Slip in such a case occurs between the friction feed roller12 and the card 3a being transported, so that there will be exerted noforce on the card 3a greater than a desired amount. Nor will the feedroller 12 exert a force which compresses (or bends) the card 3a.

An advancing card presses down the microswitch 20 (in this instant themicroswitch 14 is kept pressed down so that the microswitch 14 isopened) and then a reading out operation, punching, printing or the likeof the card may be effected as required. By means of the feed roller 18athe card 3a is further advanced, and when the trailing edge of the card30 has passed through the microswitch 20, allowing it to close theclutch 17 is actuated again since the microswitch 14 is already closedso that the card drawing roller 1 is connected to the pulley l6 androtates, whereby the next card is fed into the device.

As described hereinabove, according to the present invention, verysmooth transportation or advance of the card can be effected even if theapparatus whose feeding speeds are different from each other areinterconnected. Furthermore, the service life of the card can beremarkably increased.

The present invention has been described with particular reference toone embodiment thereof, but it will be clear that variations andmodifications can be effected within the spirit of the present inventionas described hereinaboveand as defined in the appended claim.

lclaim:

1. An automatic card-feeding device comprising:

a card-drawing roller adapted to withdraw a card from a stack of cardsstored in a card storage;

a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect said carddrawing roller frommeans for driving said card-drawing roller;

a forced feed roller for forcibly advancing the card withdrawn by saidcard-drawing roller along a card path;

a friction feed roller adapted to transport the card from the forcedfeed roller along the card path with a weak frictional force;

a microswitch adapted to control said clutch; feed rollers in the cardpath adapted to rotate at a peripheral speed different from that of theforced feed roller; and

another microswitch also adapted to control said clutch,

the distances between said card-drawing roller and said firstmicroswitch; between said first microswitch and said second microswitch;and between said friction roller and said feed roller being less thanthe length of one card while the distance between said forced feedroller and said feed roller is greater than the length of one card, saidclutch being adapted to actuate said card-drawing roller so as to draw acard before the preceding card reaches said microswitch and after saidpreceding card has passed through said second microswitch; and

said clutch being adapted to rotate without driving the carddrawingroller when a card being transported presses either of said first orsecond microswitches.

2. A device for feeding a card of a given length along a card pathcomprising:

a first pair of counterrotating feed rollers defining between them afirst nip located in the card path, said first pair of feed rollershaving a first peripheral speed and directions of rotation to advance acard along the card path;

a second pair of counterrotating feed rollers defining between them asecond nip located in the card path, the second pair of feed rollershaving a second peripheral speed differing from the first peripheralspeed and directions of rotation to advance a card along the card path,the first nip being separated from the second nip by a distance measuredalong the card path in the direction of card travel greater than thegiven card length; and

a friction feed roller having a periphery located at a friction feedroller station in the card path and being rotatable in a direction toadvance a card in contact with said periphery along the card path, saidfriction feed roller station being located between the first nip and thesecond nip; and

pressing means for resiliently pressing a card in the card path againstthe periphery of the friction feed roller with a relatively weak contactforce whereby the maximum frictional force exerted on a card by thefriction feed roller is less than that required to tear or buckle thecard in the event that movement of the card at a speed other than thatof the periphery of the friction feed roller occurs, whereby in suchevent slippage occurs between the card and the friction feed roller.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the pressing means comprises a fixedpressure member.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the fixed pressure member comprises aleaf spring.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the distances between the first nip andthe friction feed roller station and between the friction feed rollerstation and the second nip are both less than the card length.

6. The device of claim 5 comprising:

advancing means for advancing, when activated, a card alon the card pathfrom a card storage to the first nip;

first de ecting means for detecting the presence of a card in the cardpath at a first detection point, said first detection point being lessthan a card length from the advancing means as measured along the cardpath, and being beyond the first nip in the direction of travel of acard in the card path, and for inactivating the advancing means upondetection of a card at the first detection point; and

second detecting means for detecting the presence of a card in the cardpath at a second detection point, said second detection point being lessthan a card length from the first detection point as measured along thecard path and being beyond the second nip in the direction of travel ofa card in the card path, and for inactivating the advancing means upondetection of a card at the second detection point.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein:

the advancing means comprises a drawing roller, a rotating member, and aclutch operable upon receipt of an electric current to connect thedrawing roller to the rotating member for rotation therewith; and

the first and second detecting means comprise microswitches movable froma closed to an open position when contacted by a card in the card path;

and wherein said device additionally comprises: a power source for theelectrical current; and electrical circuit means for connecting inseries the power source, first and second detecting means, and theclutch. 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the fixed pressure membercomprises a leaf spring.

1. An automatic card-feeding device comprising: a card-drawing rolleradapted to withdraw a card from a stack of cards stored in a cardstorage; a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect said card-drawingroller from means for driving said card-drawing roller; a forced feedroller for forcibly advancing the card withdrawn by said card-drawingroller along a card path; a friction feed roller adapted to transportthe card from the forced feed roller along the card path with a weakfrictional force; a microswitch adapted to control said clutch; feedrollers in the card path adapted to rotate at a peripheral speeddifferent from that of the forced feed roller; and another microswitchalso adapted to control said clutch, the distances between saidcard-drawing roller and said first microswitch; between said firstmicroswitch and said second microswitch; and between said frictionroller and said feed roller being less than the length of one card whilethe distance between said forced feed roller and said feed roller isgreater than the length of one card, said clutch being adapted toactuate said card-drawing roller so as to draw a card before thepreceding card reaches said microswitch and after said preceding cardhas passed through said second microswitch; and said clutch beingadapted to rotate without driving the carddrawing roller when a cardbeing transported presses either of said first or second microswitches.2. A device for feeding a card of a given length along a card pathcomprising: a first pair of counterrotating feed rollers definingbetween them a first nip located in the card path, said first pair offeed rollers having a first peripheral speed and directions of rotationto advance a card along the card path; a second pair of counterrotatingfeed rollers defining between them a second nip located in the cardpath, the second pair of feed rollers having a second peripheral speeddiffering from the first peripheral speed and directions of rotation toadvance a card along the card path, the first nip being separated fromthe second nip by a distance measured along the card path in thedirection of card travel greater than the given card length; and afriction feed roller having a periphery located at a friction feedroller station in the card path and being rotatable in a direction toadvance a card in contact with said periphery along the card path, saidfriction feed roller station being located between the first nip and thesecond nip; and pressing means for resiliently pressing a card in thecard path against the periphery of the friction feed roller with arelatively weak contact force whereby the maximum frictional forceexerted oN a card by the friction feed roller is less than that requiredto tear or buckle the card in the event that movement of the card at aspeed other than that of the periphery of the friction feed rolleroccurs, whereby in such event slippage occurs between the card and thefriction feed roller.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the pressingmeans comprises a fixed pressure member.
 4. The device of claim 3wherein the fixed pressure member comprises a leaf spring.
 5. The deviceof claim 2 wherein the distances between the first nip and the frictionfeed roller station and between the friction feed roller station and thesecond nip are both less than the card length.
 6. The device of claim 5comprising: advancing means for advancing, when activated, a card alongthe card path from a card storage to the first nip; first detectingmeans for detecting the presence of a card in the card path at a firstdetection point, said first detection point being less than a cardlength from the advancing means as measured along the card path, andbeing beyond the first nip in the direction of travel of a card in thecard path, and for inactivating the advancing means upon detection of acard at the first detection point; and second detecting means fordetecting the presence of a card in the card path at a second detectionpoint, said second detection point being less than a card length fromthe first detection point as measured along the card path and beingbeyond the second nip in the direction of travel of a card in the cardpath, and for inactivating the advancing means upon detection of a cardat the second detection point.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein: theadvancing means comprises a drawing roller, a rotating member, and aclutch operable upon receipt of an electric current to connect thedrawing roller to the rotating member for rotation therewith; and thefirst and second detecting means comprise microswitches movable from aclosed to an open position when contacted by a card in the card path;and wherein said device additionally comprises: a power source for theelectrical current; and electrical circuit means for connecting inseries the power source, first and second detecting means, and theclutch.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the fixed pressure membercomprises a leaf spring.